Archive for the ‘Videos’ Category

No sooner than I had gone part time at work, that I got the call. Would I like to audition as new talent on celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s YouTube cookery Channel FoodTube? I dropped the phone, screamed inside, flew around the room just in time to master a composed, calm “yes”.

Now just let me break it down the way I should have.

Jamie Oliver first got me into cooking as a Naked Chef. I remember him cooking in a small kitchen and zipping around on his bike. Not only is he insanely talented, but also a food warrior bringing very important social issues to the front of our minds and the top of the political agenda.

Oh, and FoodTube has over a million subscribers. And features some amazing cooking talent.

YES!

It was an amazing experience, great fun and nerve wracking at the same time. So here I am, cooking my quick Chicken Korma on Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube. Please watch, and if you like it, give me a thumbs up and share it with your friends. If I go back, what can I cook for you? Let me know in a comment under the video.

Ready powdered spices reign supreme in my kitchen. But for that extra special moment, a cheap coffee grinder doubles up as the spice grinder of my dreams.

Cheap equals value here, as grinder blades eventually dull. The best of the best are the ones with removeable bowls, for easy clean up. I confess now that I hate pestle and mortars: hard work and not worth the rough specks of spices that fly everywhere.

Garam masala is one of the most special spice mixes to make at home. Blindingly fragrant made fresh, it lifts the simplest of dishes with a sprinkle towards the end of cooking. In fact, adding it too early can turn the dish a tad bitter.

The actual spices that go in vary from household to household. I keep mine simple with 4 cardamoms, 8 black peppers, 8 cloves, 2 small bay leaves, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 tsp cumin. All whole, of course. You can add coriander seeds, dry dinger and even nutmeg to make yours as you like it.